document file

ABSTRACT

A document file is provided comprising a back ( 1, 21 ), a connecting spine ( 2, 22 ) with top ( 3, 24 ) and bottom ( 4, 25 ) walls connecting with the spine to form a three sided enclosure with the back. A cover ( 5, 26 ) for the document file has at its free edge opposite its attachment to the spine, a sidewall ( 6, 30 ) adapted to form with the back, spine, top and bottom walls in the closed condition of the document file, a closed box. The back preferably has an extension ( 7, 31 ) extending along at least a part of its edge opposite its attachment to the spine such that it projects beyond the sidewall of the cover in the closed condition of the document file. The top and bottom edges of the cover preferably have top ( 10, 27 ) and bottom ( 11, 28 ) wall sections adapted to fit inside or outside the top and bottom walls in the closed condition. The invention also provides a document file blank for erection to form a document file as provided by the invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a document file for the storage and retrieval of multiple documents typically relating to a defined subject or having some other common feature and that are generally arranged in a predefined sequence to permit of intermittent reference to one or more of the documents.

It will be understood that the term document as used in this specification is not intended to be limiting in any way and includes correspondence and other printed matter as well as any other items of a generally flat nature permitting of being stacked one on top of the other to form a generally squat pile when the relevant document file is orientated horizontally.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Numerous different document files have been proposed and are available on the market. Most of these suffer from one or other disadvantage.

The most commonly used lever arch file that has a back against which the documents may, at least in some instances, be clamped by means of a part of a binder mechanism, a spine hingedly attached to the left hand edge of the back, and a cover hingedly attached to the opposite edge of the spine. The back, cover and spine are typically either all made from a single sheet of cardboard material cut and sulcated along fold lines that form the hinges or they are made of board panels sandwiched between a pair of plastic sheets thermally welded together around the edges of the panels to form a back, spine and cover attached by plastic hinges. The common ring binder is similar except for the fact that it generally does not have a clamp arrangement.

Both lever arch files and ring binders suffer from the disadvantage that the documents filed in them, for the most part, are supported only by the arch or ring, as the case may be, and documents often tear away from the arch or ring. Such document files do not automatically stand neatly in side by side relationship and often individual boxes or a compartmented holding box arrangement is necessary in order to hold a number of them in neat side by side relationship on a shelf, for example. Also, they do not store conveniently in a drawer type of filing cabinet and, if placed in such a cabinet, they are not easily identifiable one from the other unless viewed from the top which is not always practical.

Also, if a number of such document files are piled one on top of the other in order to carry multiple files from one place to another, because of the tapering nature of the cover and back of the closed file, they can tend to slip and create difficulties, possibly even falling to the floor with deleterious results.

The only other common expedient for the storage of multiple documents known to applicant is the widely used box file that comes in a number of different formats, the most common of which appears to be a box with a lid that clips into its closed position. In some instances the edge panel of a box opposite the spine region hinges downwards to provide access to the edges of documents stored in the box. In at least most instances, such box files are rather costly involving the use of a number of different components including clips for holding the lid closed. They are also generally only used for more permanent storage and less frequent retrieval than in the case of lever arch files or ring binders.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a document file that is inexpensive yet overcomes, at least to some extent, one or more disadvantages associated with existing files, at least some of which have been outlined above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided a document file comprising a back, a connecting spine with top and bottom walls connecting with the spine to form a three sided enclosure with the back, and a cover, the document file being characterised in that the free edge of the cover opposite its attachment to the spine is provided with a sidewall adapted to form with the back, spine, top and bottom walls in the closed condition of the document file, a closed box.

Further features of the invention provide for the back to have an extension extending along at least a part of its edge opposite its attachment to the spine such that it projects beyond the sidewall of the cover in the closed condition of the document file; for the top and bottom edges of the cover to have top and bottom wall sections adapted to fit inside or outside the top and bottom walls in the closed condition; for a the top and bottom wall sections to be dimensioned along at least a part of the length thereof to cooperate with the back wall in the closed condition to maintain the cover and back in substantially parallel relationship; and for the top and bottom wall sections together with the sidewall to form, with the cover, a three sided retainer extending around the unhinged periphery of the cover.

Still further features of the invention provide for substantially the entire document file to be made from a sheet of cut and sulcated board, typically a suitable cardboard, that may optionally be a corrugated cardboard and that is either adapted to be permanently erected by permanently attaching suitable zones together or, alternatively, for the document file to the produced as a blank for adhesive-free erecting of the document file by a folding operation in which instance the top and bottom walls as well as the sidewall attached to the cover are preferably formed of doubled over layers of cardboard held in the doubled over condition by tabs formed at the free edges of the doubled over layers engaging in apertures for receiving same; and for the back to be provided with document binding means for holding documents within the document file.

In accordance with a second aspect of this invention there is provided a document file blank for erection to form a document file as defined above, the document file blank being cut and sulcated to define a back, a spine with extension tongues at the top and bottom ends thereof, top and bottom walls connecting with the back panel and sulcated to be folded double with the extension tongues of the spine trapped therebetween to form with the spine, in the erected condition, a three sided enclosure with the back; a cover on the side of the spine panel opposite the back panel, top and bottom wall sections attached to the top and bottom of the cover with extension tongues extending outwards in a direction away from the spine, and a sidewall extending along the edge of the cover opposite its attachment to the spine with the side wall being cut and sulcated to be folded double with the extension tongues of the top and bottom wall sections trapped therebetween to form a three sided surround to the cover in the erected condition with the three sided surround operatively overlapping the top and bottom walls attached to the back in a closed box condition of the erected document file.

Further features of the second aspect of the invention provide for the back to have an extension extending along its edge opposite its attachment to the spine with the extension preferably being sulcated to be doubled over and held in the doubled over condition by the inwardly folded free edges of the top and bottom walls; and for the doubled over top and bottom walls and sidewall to have tabs projecting from their free edges that engage in apertures provided in the back and cover, as the case may be, to hold them in their operative doubled over condition.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention a holding device for holding documents within the document file comprises a suitably rigid holding panel that is slightly longer than the distance between the inner surfaces of the top and bottom walls in the erected condition such that when urged towards documents contained between the top and bottom walls it becomes somewhat wedged in position.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a cut and sulcated blank of a storage and carrying facility for multiple document files as defined above comprising a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel and two side panels wherein the top and bottom panels each have an extension flap at each end thereof and the side panels are each arranged to be doubled over with the extension flaps of the top and bottom panels trapped therebetween in the erected condition of the document file.

Further features of the fourth aspect of the invention provide for the side panels to have tabs projecting from their free edges that engage in apertures provided in the rear panel to hold them in their operative doubled over condition; for the upper or forward region of each side panel to have apertures cut therein serving as handles; and for the inner dimensions of the storage and carrying facility in the erected condition thereof to be selected to snugly/neatly receive an integral number of the document files folded from a document file blank as defined above.

In a preferred system in which document files and storage and carrying facilities according to the invention are employed, two, three or more different capacities of document files can be provided with, in each case, the spine size being selected such that an integral number of document files of each size will fit neatly into the same size of storage and carrying facility.

It is preferred that the storage and carrying facility is made sufficiently strong so that two, three or more of them can be stacked vertically with the openings directed forwardly without the need to provide any other supporting structure, such as a filing cabinet or a supporting shelf or rack structure.

The above and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:—

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of document file according to the invention in an open condition;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective illustration thereof taken from the front bottom thereof;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective illustration taken from the rear top thereof and showing one modification to the file;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective illustration of this embodiment of the invention taken from the front bottom thereof in the closed condition;

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective illustration of this embodiment of the invention taken from the rear top thereof in the closed condition;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment of document file according to the invention in an open condition;

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective illustration of the document file illustrated in FIG. 6 in the open condition taken from the bottom and front (opposite the spine) thereof;

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective illustration of the document file illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 in the closed condition taken from the front (opposite the spine) and bottom thereof;

FIG. 9 is a plan view a document file blank from which the document file illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 can be erected by folding;

FIG. 10 is an edge-on view showing a document holding device according to the third aspect of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective illustration showing how the document files of the invention may be stored in a drawer cabinet;

FIG. 12 is a perspective illustration of a partly filled storage and carrying facility according to the third aspect of the invention in the horizontal carrying orientation; and,

FIG. 13 is an elevation of three vertically stacked storage or carrying facilities for multiple document files according to the invention with each vertical facility receiving a different size of document file.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, and with particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a document file comprises a back (1), a connecting spine (2) with a top wall (3) and a bottom wall (4) connecting with the spine to form a three sided enclosure with the back.

A cover (5) is hingedly attached to the edge of the spine opposite its attachment to the back. The cover carries at its edge opposite the spine a sidewall (6) adapted to form a closed box with the back, spine, top and bottom walls in the closed condition of the document file. Clearly the width of the spine will define the capacity of the document file.

The back has an extension (7) extending along at least a part, and conveniently all, of the edge opposite its attachment to the spine so that the extension projects outwards beyond the edge of the box in the closed condition so that identification data can be applied to the extension to enable a particular document file to be located swiftly and easily when a series of these document files are stored with the extension projecting outwards such as in the instance that they are is stored resting on their spines. The latter would be the instance, example, should the document files be stored in a drawer cabinet (8), as illustrated in FIG. 11, or in a sufficiently strong multi-compartment carrying facility (42), as illustrated in FIG. 12.

In this embodiment of the invention the top and bottom edges of the cover have top and bottom wall sections (10) and (11) respectively, these wall sections being adapted to fit inside the top and bottom walls in the closed condition. The top and bottom wall sections (10) and (11) are dimensioned, along at least a part of the length thereof as indicated by numeral (12), to cooperate with the back wall in the closed condition to maintain the cover and back in substantially parallel relationship. The top and bottom wall sections thus form, together with the sidewall (6), a three sided retainer extending around the unhinged periphery of the cover.

The top and bottom walls, in this embodiment of the invention, each have inwardly projecting stop sections (13) defining corners to a rectangular storage space formed by the back, top and bottom walls with the spine. The three sided retainer formed by the top and bottom wall sections and sidewall of the cover are dimensioned to fit neatly within that rectangular storage space so that they surround papers (indicated by dotted lines (14)) stored in the document file.

It will be understood, by those skilled in the art that the document file described above lends itself to manufacture by cutting and sulcating a single sheet of suitable board, such as a thin corrugated cardboard, and by adhesively securing the various parts of the document file together. Alternatively, the document file may be manufactured from a series of board panels sandwiched between a pair of plastic sheets thermally welded together around the edges of the panels. As a further alternative, it may be made from fluted extruded plastics board having multiple parallel webs interconnecting two integral spaced surface defining sheets.

The back may be provided with any suitable document binding means for holding documents within the document file, and such document binding means could simply be a pair of elastic straps (15) or any other type of binding means such as rings or arches, including flexible detachable arches of any suitable type. It is also within the scope of this invention that there be no document binding means, this arrangement being preferred in instances in which it is preferred not to punch or exert any other forces on the documents.

Of course, the document file may be provided with any windows or pockets on both the outside and inside thereof, as is generally indicated by numeral (16), for receiving identification labels or other items relevant to the documents stored therein. Also, it may be provided with apertures for facilitating gripping the document file in order to lift it or separate and remove it from one or more juxtaposed files. Typically such apertures could include a single aperture (17) in the spine thereof and an aperture (18) in the extension to the back.

In the event that documents of smaller size than the regular dimensions of the document file are stored therein, a tubular spacer (19) (see FIG. 2) may be provided to occupy the unused space and assist in maintaining alignment of the documents stored in the document file. Thus, for example, if A5 size documents are stored in a A4 size of document file, a suitable size tubular spacer could be employed.

It will be understood that, in use, the document file described above can be extremely easily stored both in an upright orientation, such as on a shelf in which it is supported on its bottom wall, or alternatively, lying on the spine such as in a drawer of a cabinet or transport facility as described below.

Turning now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8, and the blank of which is illustrated in FIG. 9, a document file blank is cut and sulcated to define a back (21), a spine (22) with extension tongues (23) at the top and bottom ends thereof, top and bottom walls (24, 25) connecting with the back and sulcated to be folded double with the extension tongues of the spine trapped therebetween to form with the spine, in the erected condition, a three sided enclosure with the back, as illustrated clearly in FIG. 7.

A cover (26) on the side of the spine opposite the back has a top wall section in the form of an outer top wall (27) and a bottom wall section in the form of an outer bottom wall (28) attached to the top and bottom of the cover with extension tongues (29) extending outwards in a direction away from the spine.

The cover also has a sidewall (30) extending along its edge opposite its attachment to the spine with the side wall being cut and sulcated to be folded double with the extension tongues (29) of the outer top and outer bottom walls trapped therebetween to form a three sided surround to the cover in the erected condition, as shown clearly in FIG. 7. This three sided surround operatively receives the top and bottom walls attached to the back in a closed box condition of the erected document file that is illustrated in FIG. 8.

The back has an extension (31) extending along its edge opposite its attachment to the spine with the extension being sulcated to be doubled over with the inner edge (32) of the doubled over portion being held in the doubled over condition by the inwardly folded free edges of the top and bottom walls, as indicated by numeral (33) in FIG. 7.

The doubled over top and bottom walls that are attached to the back, and the sidewall that is attached to the cover, each have tabs (34, 35) projecting from their free edges such that the tabs automatically engage in apertures (36, 37) provided in the back and cover respectively to hold them in their operative doubled over condition and, in consequence, hold the document file in its erected condition.

The blank and document file described above are conveniently made of a cardboard material, especially a corrugated cardboard having a suitable rigidity and strength.

It will be understood that, with a blank as described above, document files can be stacked as blanks when not required for use and can be most conveniently stored and transported in that condition. Also, absolutely no adhesive or fasteners are required to hold the document file in its erected condition, this being done exclusively by the tabs that engage in the various apertures.

Of course, if required, conventional document binders such as those commonly used in lever arch files and one of which indicated by numeral (38) in FIG. 6 may be employed and may be permanently attached to the back in each case. This would interfere with stacking as described above but may be preferred in some instances, particularly in the event that the document file is being used to store documents formally contained in a lever arch file.

As regards the third aspect of the invention, and with particular reference to FIG. 10, the device for holding documents within a document file described above (and that it does not have such lever arch type of document binders) comprises a suitably rigid holding panel (40) that is slightly longer (1 or 2 millimetres) than the distance between the inner surfaces (41) of the top and bottom walls in the erected condition. When such a the holding panel is urged towards documents contained between the top and bottom walls and resting on the back, it assumes a slightly arcuate shape and becomes somewhat wedged in position between the two inner surfaces. In the event that the holding panel is made of corrugated cardboard, the fluting of the cardboard should thus extend in the direction between the top and bottom walls.

Turning now to the fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a cut and sulcated blank of a storage and carrying facility (42) (illustrated only in the erected condition especially in FIG. 12) for multiple document files as defined above. The storage and carrying facility is formed as an open box having a rear panel (43), a top panel (44) a bottom panel (45) and two side panels (46).

The top and bottom panels each have an extension flap (47) at each end thereof and the side panels are each arranged to be doubled over with the extension flaps of the top and bottom panels trapped therebetween as will be apparent from the broken away portion of FIG. 12. The arrangement is very similar to the folding of the top and bottom of the document file described above with, in this case, the free edges of the doubled over part of the side panels having tabs (not shown) engaging in apertures (not shown) in the rear panel in exactly analogous manner to that described above in relation to the document file itself.

The upper or forward region of each side panel has apertures (48) cut therein to serve as handles.

The inner dimensions of the storage and carrying facility in the erected condition thereof is selected to snugly/neatly receive an integral number of the document files that may be of any one of a predetermined limited number, typically two, three or more different capacities of document files.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, the storage and carrying facilities can be stacked one on top of the other with the opening directed forwards without the need for any supporting structure such as a filing cabinet or supporting shelf or rack structure. FIG. 13 illustrates three different sizes of document files accommodated within the same size of storage and carrying facility.

It will be understood that use of storage and carrying facilities as described above can greatly assist in the provision of document storage facilities that are particularly economical in that they require no additional furniture or support structures as in the instance of prior art storage facilities.

Numerous variations may be made to the various embodiment of the various aspects of the invention described above without departing from the scope thereof.

It will also be understood that numerous variations may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above without departing from the scope hereof. In particular, it is not necessary for the cover to have the top and bottom wall sections (10) and (11) and these could be omitted as is illustrated in the variation illustrated in FIG. 3. Numerous other variations are possible within the scope hereof. 

1. A document file comprising a back, a connecting spine with top and bottom walls connecting with the spine to faun a three sided enclosure with the back, and a cover, wherein the document file has a free edge of the cover opposite its attachment to the spine that is provided with a sidewall forming, with the back, spine, top and bottom walls in the closed condition of the document file, a closed box.
 2. A document file as claimed in claim 1 in which the back has an extension extending along at least a part of its edge opposite its attachment to the spine such that it projects beyond the sidewall of the cover in the closed condition of the document file.
 3. A document file as claimed in claim 1 in which the top and bottom edges of the cover have top and bottom wall sections adapted to overlap the top and bottom walls in the closed condition.
 4. A document file as claimed in claim 3 in which the top and bottom wall sections together with the sidewall form, with the cover, a three sided retainer extending around the unhinged periphery of the cover.
 5. A document file as claimed in claim 1 in which the entire document file is made from a sheet of cut and sulcated board permanently erected by permanently attaching suitable zones together.
 6. A document file as claimed in claim 1 in which the entire document file is made from a sheet of cut and sulcated board such that the document file is produced as a blank for adhesive-free erecting of the document file by a folding operation.
 7. A document file as claimed in claim 6 in which the top and bottom walls as well as the sidewall attached to the cover are formed of doubled over layers of cardboard held in the doubled over condition by tabs formed at the free edges of the doubled over layers engaging in apertures for receiving same.
 8. A document file as claimed in claim 1 in which the file is provided with a document binder for holding documents within the document file.
 9. A document file blank for erection to form a document file as claimed in claim 6 in which the document file blank is cut and sulcated to define a back, a spine with extension tongues at the top and bottom ends thereof, top and bottom walls connecting with the back panel and sulcated to be folded double with the extension tongues of the spine trapped therebetween to form with the spine, in the erected condition, a three sided enclosure with the back; a cover on the side of the spine panel opposite the back panel, top and bottom wall sections attached to the top and bottom of the cover with extension tongues extending outwards in a direction away from the spine, and a sidewall extending along the edge of the cover opposite its attachment to the spine with the sidewall being cut and sulcated to be folded double with the extension tongues of the top and bottom wall sections trapped therebetween to form a three sided surround to the cover in the erected condition with the three sided surround operatively overlapping the top and bottom walls attached to the back in a closed box condition of the erected document file.
 10. A document file blank as claimed in claim 9 in which the back has an extension extending along its edge opposite its attachment to the spine with the extension being sulcated to be doubled over and held in the doubled over condition by inwardly folded free edges of the top and bottom walls. 